Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1887-08-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, AUG. 8. 1887.
The Siamese Prince Devawongse
was formally presented to the president
on Friday morning last by Acting Sec
retary of State Porter. The Prince,
who was accompanied by several men,
bers of his suite, and General Holder
man, wore European dress, but the
members of his suite were attired in
their native costumes. The four little
sons of the reigning king of Siam, who
are in this country with the Prince
were not present at this presentation.
The president remarked on their alb
sence, and expressed a strong desire to
see them. Consequently at five O'clock
in the afternoon, accompanied by the
chief clerk of the state department, the
four little princes were received by the
president and had very pleasant in
terview. The little boys, the eldest of
whom is fifteen and the youngest but
eight, have excited great deal of ad-
miration during their visit to Washing
ton. Their open eyed and childish en-
joyment of the sights of the capitol has
won all hearts.
The officials of the treasury are at
present giving their attention to the
commission of emigration and it's
methods of conducting business. The
recent action of the commission in the
Jansen case has provoked the investi-
cation. The commission is appointed
by the state, but performs its duties
under contract with the government,
1t is exceedingly probable that the
evidence of abuses, and the usurpation
of entire control of immigrants, Dy the
commissioners, brought to light by this
investigation. will result in the with
drawal by the government OF its con-
tract with the commission, which can
be done under the terms of the con-
tract, after serving notice of sixty
days. 1t is charged among other
things, that the privileges of perform
ing certain remunerative services for
newly arrived immigrants are rented
out or sold by the commissioners at
high figures, and moreover, that they
charge immigrants from two to three
per cent more on exchange than the
regular banks. A tax OF fifty cents per
head is imposed by the United States,
upon immigrants at Castle Garden in
New York, this sum amounts to $780,
600, yearly, but from $4,000 to $4,000,
if it is expended in salaries to the COM
missioners. and employees. The secre-
retary of the treasury will in all pro-
liability decide that the money thus ex-
pended can be used to better advantage
in the enforcement of the immigrant
law, and abolish the commission.
Communications have already been
received at the treasury department
from number of bond holders who
express themselves willing to accept
the offer of the secretary to prepay six
months interest on the public debt
with rebate of two per cent. after the
18th inst. The application already on
file for the prepayment will put nearly
100000 in circulation. Secretary
Fairchild in taking this action follows
the precedent established by his prede-
cessor in office, Mr.. Manning. who in
December 1886, ordered the payment Of
quarterly interest four weeks in ad-
vance Of the time due, for like reasons.
To re-establish public confidence in the
money market and to prevent threat
ening panic.
AS soon as Gen. Sheridan returns to-
the city the secretary of war will decide
whether to grant the request of the
managers of the Chicago drill and en-
campment to be held in October, to
allow the regular army to be repres-
ented at the drill. The secretary and
the acknowledgement are both in
favor of the plan to have the militia
and the regular troops go into camp to-
gether, and it is likely that several
companies Of U. S, soldiers will be or
dered to Chicago in October. 1t is
thought that actual contact with the
regular soldiers life and drill will do
more than any amount of instruction
in military tactics for the citizen sold
ier- Perpaps it may, but hardships of
the life Of the private in our army, and
the manner in which they are gener-
ally treated by their superior officers
do not invite to the ranks very promis-
ing specimens Of humanity, or there
would not be 80 many desertions from
the corps.
The Japanese officials who came to
this country to study our finan ciaI sys.
tenn. are now in London, en- route for
the other financial centres of Europe
While in Washington they made a
thorough examination of the methods
of the treasury and with the aid OF
their secretaries and Interpreters com
pleted full report on the subject to be
sent to, the Japanese government.
A curious but barbarous relic of In.
dian warfare was recently received al
the interior department. 1t consists Of